Kio's Problem
by pikapika-angelic-demon-17
Summary: one shot. Kio has a question for Soubi that is only answered when Ritsuka finally arrives. Rated for subtle jokes and Kioness.


Yet another RP-turned fanfic from the vaults of Angel and Ezzy.XD Primarily innocent, but the jokes are hidden and it's therefore going to be rated T. So you wouldn't understand the jokes unless you're... well, T. Enjoy. Kio fans should like it, of course.

"Sou-chan..." Kio mumbled from the couch to the blonde who crouched on the other side of the room in front of a big canvas, his hair pulled back and a saturated paintbrush in his hand. "Sou-chan..." Kio rolled his sucker around on his tongue, and he frowned. It was getting smaller awfully quickly. He analyzed the flavor on his tastebuds that was fruity, possibly tropical. Mango... he decided slowly. "Sou-chan... why do suckers get smaller?" he questioned his apartment-mate lazily.

"Because the enzymes in your saliva break down the hard candy coating, making it easier to digest." He was doing some finishing touches on his Mid-term project for his human figure class. The subject of his painting had, of course, been Ritsuka. It took some persuasion, and it was only after Soubi promised he didn't have to take off any clothing that he agreed to do it.

"Hmmm..." Kio pulled out the sucker and it made a little suctioned ipop/i sound. He boredly lapped at it once and then returned it to his mouth, thinking about what must have been the scientific process of the first stage of digestion. "Sou-chan..." he questioned for attention again.

"Yes Kio..." He closed his eyes waiting patiently for his friend's next inquisition.

Kio looked through half-lidded eyes and sleek glasses at his apartment-mate who had to deal with him during his project time. "Sou-chan, do you think there's a way to make a sucker that doesn't get smaller?"

"I'm not sure... It would probaly have to be flavored plastic or something, therefore not good to put in your mouth."

Kio slowly pulled the sucker out of his mouth again as he looked at Soubi uncertainly, making a loud sluping noise. "Plastic? That doesn't sound like it would taste very good..." He lifted a perfectly shaped slender little eyebrow over his glasses at the other artist as he calculated all the worst possible things to fit Soubi's description, being the experimentalist that he was. "I suppose whether or not it would be all right to put in your mouth would depend on how it was flavored. It would be bad if it was something that could be even the slightest bit toxic and it was only coated with the flavoring. Even then, it wouldn't get smaller, hopefully, but the flavor would go away."

"So then... no," he replied, and went back to work.

"No... what?" Kio replied. "No, I wouldn't stick it in my mouth..." He jammed the sucker between his molars and bit down, crunching the little ball of sugar into tiny fragments that would soon melt away. "No...?" He stood up then from his place on the sofa and stretched. "Time for another one..." His heavy socks padded gently on the hardwood floor as he started for the kitchen table to get another piece of candy. "No, huh? Hm..."

"... No as in no there's no way to make a sucker that doesn't get smaller.." His blue eyes opened, resuming to critique his project.

Kio stopped for a few moments and stared at Soubi as he stood to get a good look at the whole painting. _Really, now?_ He went on to get another sucker from the bowl on the table and yanked off the wrapper without reading the flavor label, proceeding to jam it into his mouth and toss the wrapper into the trash. He stepped quietly back over to Soubi, until he was standing behind the other young man. Kio gently wrapped his arms around Soubi's neck and pulled the sucker back out again with it hovering in Soubi's face. "But Sou-chan, I think there is a way, maybe, but I need you to help me find it. You want one?" If even Kio could smell the sickeningly sweet aroma of artificially-flavored butterscotch candy, surely Soubi had to pay mind to the scent. He couldn't just ignore this sticky amber-colored thing in his face, obstructing his view of his work, his lovely Ritsuka. Kio leaned up against Soubi's back and whispered to the back of his ear. "Even just a... taste?" He stared at the scarred flesh of the other young man's perfect, tender ear, where it was pierced, and regrettably, torn. Now it had healed, but there was still a pale mark where the ugly little rip had been. _Because of the Aoyagi..._ Kio thought to himself, obsessively. "A taste?"

Soubi leaned forward and popped the sucker into his mouth, taking it away from Kio. "I have work to do you know, and its not going to get finished when you keep distracting me like this, Kio..." His blue eyes opened and stared at his room-mate.

Kio's eyes opened fully for a second when he realized Soubi had actually taken the sucker from him, and a little bit of pleasure at that fact made it's way into Kio's mind. "You're still not done yet?" he whined childishly.

"I still think theres more I can do to improve it. It is a major part of my grade you know..."

Kio stuck his hands behind his head. "Hmm... whatever. Looks perfect to me." He rued his own mouth at that... Saying the Aoyagi boy is perfect?

"Really? I think the hair might need to be a little longer... and maybe a shade darker.." He tilted head to the side, looking at a different angle.

Kio dragged a palm down his face and stuck out his tongue.

There was a knock at the door. After a moment, the knock repeated along with the familiar chorus of "Soubi! I know you're home! I can smell the paint all the way from the sidewalk!"

Soubi took the sucker out of his mouth and put it back in Kio's, before turning and opening the front door. "Yes?"

Ritsuka glared up at him. "There you are! What are you working on! You didn't come visit me; I was worried!"

Kio looked cross-eyed down at the replaced sucker.

"I was finishing up my midterm project. The one you helped me with, remember?" He opened the door further, allowing him in and to look at the painting.

"Oh, the project, is that it?" Ritsuka grumbled, crossing his arms. "Yeah, I remember, I had to sit still for like an hour. My neck still hurts. It looks like me, all right. But I wonder if the hair should be a little longer...?"

Kio gave a quiet growl, his eyebrow twitching furiously.

"Yes, maybe it should. Your hair has grown since the I started." He got out his paints and began mixing the colors.

"But your teacher won't know it, will they?" Ritsuka asked. He looked at Soubi inquisitively. Kio's eyes grew with surprise at the younger boy's unwitting assistance to Kio's situation. Then Ritsuka continued, "Aww, you're mixing colors already? Well, to stop would be a waste of paint..." Kio grumbled again.

Soubi checked the color to find it too light, and added some more black... "Kio, what are you soo upset about."

Kio looked about to cry. "I have a problem! I need you to help me!"

"I already told you, I don't know. I'f it is possible, it probably wouldn't taste good, or the flavor would fade." He checked it again. _Still too light..._

"What are you talking about?" Ritsuka questioned with a blush.

"Suckers... Or a sucker that doesn't get smaller.. Hold still, Ritsuka."

Ritsuka almost pouted, but he got into position instead. "Suckers?" he question speculatively. "Sounds like just the thing for Kio to start. He eats them, as well as being one." Kio frowned and turned pink.

Soubi grabbed his delicate chin and moved it slightly to the left, "Hold still, Ritsuka..." He returned to the canvas and began to paint, having finally found the right color.

"I am!" he hissed impatiently through his teeth.

Soubi smiled from behind the canvas, enjoy Ritsuka's reactions. He knew just what buttons to push.

Ritsuka's ears started to fold back.

Kio watched jealously as Soubi worked and stared at Ritsuka now and then. _As soon as that Aoyagi kid comes in, it's all about him. Kio doesn't get any time with Sou-chan... Jerk..._

"Ritsuka, I'm sorry if I'm annoying you, but you need to hold still." his smile was once again covered by his 'masterpiece'.

Kio sat back on the couch and continued to watch them. The minutes ticked by and Ritsuka was starting to have trouble standing still.

"There, its perfect.." He smiled, happy to be done, but now worried Ritsuka might be annoyed and want to go home.

"Finally!" Ritsuka sighed. He stretched his neck. "Now can we please go do something like you promised?" Kio was practically crying.

"I'm not sure... Ritsuka, was that all you wanted?"

"Yes, and I was concerned that you had gone off and done something without me, like fighting, and you hadn't called me because I was in class," Ritsuka answered. "And what do you mean, you're not sure?"

Kio gently pawed at the leg of Soubi's slacks.

"I wasn't sure if you wanted anything else."

"Well, I figured," Ritsuka retorted, "that you had something in mind, since you were the one who requested we do something today in the first place."

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to the amusement park, or maybe the zoo?" he wondered.

"I don't care," Ritsuka mewled happily now that he had Soubi's full attention, his tail waving behind his back.

"Or we could do both?" he suggested, not willing to make the decision himself.

"Not all in one day..." Ritsuka said. "Maybe we should go to the zoo today and the park on Sunday."

Kio went and buried his head under a sofa pillow.

"That would work. Okay, the zoo it is." Soubi smiled, then turned to Kio, "Are you alright?"

"I'll miss you, Sou-chan..." Kio mumbled from under the pillow.

Soubi smiled, "I'll miss you too," Then he walked over to Ritsuka and lead him towards the door. "Be back later." he called over his shoulder.

_And so, we find the answer to Kio's question: How does one make a sucker that does not become smaller? The solution is..._

_Send him on a feild trip with a cute underaged catboy._

THE END

And now, a quote from the mind of Ezzy-on-vacation: Kio: "I'm what some people call a die-hard. I'll either die hard, or die trying!"


End file.
